Stavropoleos Church

The Stavropoleos Church is a unique architectural presence in Bucharest. This orthodox place of worship, it too built in the first decades of the 18th century (1724), during the reign of Nicolae Mavrocordat, was erected by order of Ioanichie Stratonikeas in the very precincts of his own inn. The religious complex was also complemented by a monastery which did not manage to survive until today, since, along with the inn and sundry adjoining structures, it was pulled down in the late 19th century.

The church too was affected by earthquakes, but the repeated restoration works managed to maintain the original dash and contour of the edifice. Thus, this Brâncoveanu style church, which also combines discreet Byzantine elements, is a picturesque venue which, far from being a monumental establishment, appeals by its elegantly carved columns located in front of the entrance and by the sundry medallions which decorate the upper part of the facade. The church is complemented, architecturally speaking, by an adjoining structure built in the early 20th century by Ion Mincu, where sundry religious items are sheltered: a collection of icons and vestiges of the frescoes from the churches pulled down during the communist regime.